Journal-box lid.



J. F. OGONNOR. JOURNAL BOX LID.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN.13, 1909.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

"HE NORRIS PETERS 60.. FHOTULITMQ, WASMINGION. D. C

JOHN F. OCONINOR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

J OURNAL-BOX LID.

Application filed January 13, 1909.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN F. OCoNNon, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of ook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Journal-Box Lids, of which the following is a s 'iecification.

My invention relates to improvements in journal boxes and lids therefor; and more particularly to journal boxes for use upon passenger or other cars, which are frequently stopped at a station where the passenger platforms interfere with or cramp the room of the car inspector or oiler, with ordinary journal boxes having the lids thereon hinged at their upper ends.

The object of my invention is to provide a journal box and lid suitable for use upon passenger ca rs, which will be of a simple, efficient and durable construction, in which the lid may be hinged at its lower end so that the passenger platforms will not interfere with the convenient inspection and packing and oiling of the journal and in which the lid. although hinged at its lower end so that its own gravity will not tend to swing it shut in the event of accidental opening, will nevertheless have means for keeping it certainly and reliably and tightly and securely closed, and in which the closure means oi the lid will also ell'ectually prevent rattling and jarring movements of the lid in respect to the journal box and consequent wear and speedy destruction.

To practically accomplish this result, and herein my invention consists, I provide the journal box at the lower edge of its opening with an integral trunnion or hinge member and with a curved spring seat socket adjacent thereto and provide the lid with a segmental hinge member at its lower end, and with a spring seat socket adjacent thereto, and combine with these parts a strong, stiii, C shaped spring formed of flat spring steel, and provided with pivot coils at its ends adapted to fit and turn in the spring seat sockets of the journal box and lid, so that the lid may swing open approximately in line with the inclined or curved outer bottom end wall of the journal box without greatly increasing the distance between the spring seat sockets on the journal box and lid and consequent strain and tension upon the spring; thus enabling an exceedingly strong spring to be employed, and one which will act to certainly and reliably hold a lid,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

Serial No. 472,004.

the novel combinations of parts and devices herein shown and described, and more particularly specified in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a central, vertical, longitudinal section of a journal box and lid embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail vertical section showing the hinge members and spring seat sockets oi the journal box and lid. Fig. 3 is a detail inside plan view of the lid. Fig. el; is a detail Front view showing the hinge member or trunnion on the journal box. Fig. 5 is a detail section on line 5-5 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 6 is a detail section on line ti-6 of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, A. represents the journal of a passenger car axle, B the journal hearing, (3 the wedge, D the journal box, E the dust guard fitting in a slot in the journal box. F the lid and G the C-shaped spring.

The journal box is provided at the upper edge of its outer inclined bottom wall D with an integral hinge member or trunnion (Z and with a semi-circular spring seat socket (Z adjacent thereto.

The hinge lid F is provided at its lower end with a hinge member 7. preferably of a segmental socket form adapted to lit and partially embrace the trunnion (Z at the lower end of the opening D in the journal box and also with a semi-circular spring seat socket 7 adjacent to said hinge member.

The spring G is formed of flat plate steel curved into a C-shape and provided at its ends with circular pivot coils g 9 adapted to lit and turn in the spring seat sockets (i f on the journal box and lid. As the lid F is hinged at its lower end to the upper edge of the inclined outer bottom end wall D of the journal box, the gravity of the lid will not tend to close it or to hold it closed under the jarring action of the journal when the train is in motion, and Itherefore combine with the journal box and lid, an exceedingly strong spring G, the same extending preferably in width substantially the full width of the lid, and being formed of sheet steel so that this spring Will by its own tension serve to certainly and reliably hold the lid closed and also enable the lid to be at the same time practically and conveniently opened. The cooperating spring seat sockets on the journal box and lid are relatively arranged in respect to the axis or center about which the lid turns in opening so that the distance between these spring seats will not be materially increased when the lid is open from what it is when the lid is closed. When the lid is open, as indicated in Fig. 1 so that it projects substantially in line with the outer bottom end wall D of the journal box, the line joining the spring seat sockets (Z f of the journal box and lid will approach near but not quite to the center of the trunnion (Z, so that the friction between the hinge member of the lid and the hinge member of the journal box under the clamping action of the strong spring G will serve to retain the lid in its open position while the car is stationary, and at the same time enable the spring G to overcome the gravity of the lid and automatically turn the lid upward and inward on its lower end J hinge and thus close it, when the equilibrium between the tension of the spring and the friction of the hinge members is overcome by the arring action of the journal on the journal box and lid when the train is under motion.

The strong spring G firmly clamps the lid against the journal box both at its lower or hinged end and at its upper or free end, and thus tightly closes the journal box to exclude dust and cinders and also prevents any arring or rattling movement of the lid in respect to the journal box and the wear and cutting of parts incident thereto.

The lid F has a stop shoulder P, which by engagement with the corresponding stop shoulder (Z on the journal box limitsthe opening movement of the lid. The journal box is also preferably provided with a guard wing (Z having a curved face cl, and the lid with a guard ing 7 having a curved outer face 7, which, by engagement .with the inner face of the curved or C-shaped spring G serves to limit the opening movement 01' the lid and to prevent its being forcibly wrenched from the journal box by prying on the hinged lid as a lever.

I claim 1. The combination with a journal box having an open inner end for the axle journal. to project through and provided at its outer end with an integral hinge member at the upper edge of its outer bottom end wall and a curved spring seat socket adjacent thereto, of a lid having at its lower end a hinge member and a curved spring seat socket adjacent thereto, and a C-shaped spring having curved ends fitting in said spring seats and surrounding and interiorly housing the hinge members of the journal box and lid, said spring seats being formed on the interior of the box and lid respectively, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with a journal box having an opening at its inner end for the axle journal to project through and provided. at its outer end with a hinge trunnion at the upper edge of its outer bottom end wall, of a lid having at its lower end a hinge socket fitting said trunnion, said lid and journal box having spring seats to receive the ends of a spring, and a curved spring having its ends fitting in said spring seat sockets and operating to clamp the lid firmly and securely against the journal box at both the upper and lower ends of the lid, said spring being of a width substantially equal to the length of the hinge connection and surrounding and interiorly housing the hinge members of the journal box and lid, substantially as specified.

3. The combination with a journal box' having an opening at its inner end for the axle journal to project through and provided at its outer end at the upper edge of its inclined bottom end wall. with a hinge trunnion, of a lid having at its lower end a hinge socket fitting said trunnion, said lid and journal box having spring seats to re.- ceive the ends of a spring, and a curved spring having its ends fitting in said spring JOHN F. OCONNOR.

Witnesses H. M. MUNDAY, EDMUND Anooox.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents,

Washington, D. G. 

